Syria says it dismantled an ISIS cell in Homs province — Asharq Al-Awsat
Syrian internal security forces said they had dismantled a cell linked to the Islamic State group in the Houla area in the northern part of Homs province. During raids conducted jointly with the General Intelligence Directorate, two suspects were detained and two explosive devices were seized, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
Suspicions of preparing attacks
According to preliminary information from security forces, the detainees received and transported explosives and monitored potential targets. Authorities say the cell was preparing attacks on places of worship and security patrols in order to destabilize the situation. One of the suspects, law enforcement officials said, was detained while attempting to place an explosive device on a railway track. The investigation into other possible members of the cell and its connections is ongoing.
The operation took place approximately three days after the detention of Khaled Raed Bayrouni, known as Abu Hassan Doshka, in Hujayrah near Damascus. Syria's Interior Ministry described him as an ISIS operative representative in Homs and the group's military commander in the so-called Homs province. According to the ministry, Bayrouni planned and coordinated bombings and attacks motivated by religious grounds, including an explosion at an Alawite mosque in Homs in late 2025, which killed eight people.
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Detentions in Masyaf
At the same time, security forces detained seven people in Masyaf, in Hama province, who had previously served in or were linked to structures of the former Syrian regime. They are suspected of serious abuses against civilians, including kidnappings, robberies, extortion, detentions and repression.
Those detained include Nabil Adnan Ismail and Ghazi Mohammed Ismail, who are accused of commanding groups within formations linked to the former Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate. The brothers Taher Yusuf al-Mohammed and Talal Yusuf al-Mohammed were also detained; according to authorities, they served in the Air Force Intelligence Directorate and the Scientific Studies Center. All of the allegations cited are the Syrian security agencies' version of events.
